From: Mia H H Lam
Subject: Vermont Legislature Sends "Civil Unions" To The Governor!!!! (fwd)
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2000 08:23:13 -1000
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 19:21:54 -1000
From: Friends Of Marriage Project Hawaii
Subject: Vermont Legislature Sends "Civil Unions" To The Governor!!!!
The Vermont House approved today (April 25) the Senate's version of
the "Civil Unions" bill. The bill now goes to Vermont's governor, who has
said that he will sign the bill into law. To read Mary Bonauto's letter
about it, click on the Marriage Project Hawaii web site and look for the
link near the top of the opening page:
http://members.tripod.com/~MPHAWAII/
The bill proposes 3 categories: heterosexual marriage, "civil unions"
for lesbian and gay couples, and "reciprocal beneficiaries" for blood
relatives in need of some economic protections. The bill is a major step
forward for lesbian and gay couples. It is short of marriage but closely
comparable to marriage in Vermont's state law. It does not confer any
status (immigration, income tax, social security, etc.) under the control
of the federal government. How it ports across state lines will probably
be tested by couples in many ways. Also, some of the complex interactions
with federal law (e.g., in regards to retirement benefits, health
insurance, etc.) will no doubt raise issues that may have to be answered by
the courts.
How does it compare with Hawaii's "reciprocal beneficiaries"? There
are similarities and differences. Marriage Project Hawaii definitely wants
to imitate Vermont's decision to separate gay and lesbian couples from
heterosexual couples (typically blood relatives), with different terms
("civil unions" versus RB's).
Hawaii's RB status is significantly different several aspects:
"divorce" for RB's in Hawaii is a simple matter of declaration (by just one
of the persons); in Vermont, divorce for "civil unions" will be comparable
to divorce for married couples. RB status in Hawaii has almost nothing to
do with family court: joint custody of children, etc. (although, in a
sealed court case, a lesbian couple in Hawaii obtained joint adoption of a
child!).
195 pages of Hawaii Revised Statutes cover the laws that somehow
impact on RB's in Hawaii. All of these have been posted to the Marriage
Project Hawaii web site.
A great day!
Tom Ramsey
President, Friends of Marriage Project Hawaii
PS. Do you know someong who is going to the Millenial March on Washington?
If they'd like to meet the Hawaii folks there, contact Tom Humphreys and
Alan Wang at htom@hawaii.edu